The Philadelphia Inquirer’s top investigative reporter, Nancy Phillips, has written a story containing what we’re told are allegations of child molestation against sportswriter Bill Conlin, a longtime columnist at the rival Daily News. Conlin resigned just moments ago, according to a source at the Daily News.

Conlin, who turns 78 this May, won the Ford C. Frick Award last May. The story supposedly will drop soon (the newspapers publish under a joint-operating agreement, sharing some resources and a website but otherwise competing for the same readers). Conlin has hired an attorney to defend himself against the piece. We’ll have more details on this. For now, we can tell you that Conlin is at his condo in Largo, Fla.

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Three women and a man say they were molested as children by Bill Conlin, a Hall of Fame baseball writer and Philadelphia Daily News columnist.

In vivid accounts, the four say Conlin groped and fondled them, and touched their genitals, in assaults in the 1970s, when they were from ages 7 to 12.

"This is a tragedy," said Kelley Blanchet, a niece of Conlin's who said he molested her when she was a child. "People have kept his secret. It's not just the victims, it's the victims' families. There were so many people who knew about this and did nothing."

Conlin retired Tuesday from the Daily News, where he had worked for more than four decades.

Through his lawyer, George Bochetto, Conlin declined to comment.

"Mr. Conlin is obviously floored by these accusations, which supposedly happened 40 years ago," Bochetto said. "He has engaged me to do everything possible to bring the facts forward to vindicate his name."

The article is pretty detailed. This will not end well for Mr. Conlin, I think--this isn't just one person and the people in question provided videotaped testimony last year (i.e., way before the Penn State thing broke) in an attempt to bring charges where the abuse happened (in NJ), but the law providing no statute of limitations for such charges (enacted in 1996) wasn't retroactive, so ultimately no charges could not be filed.

So it would seem unless more recent things come to light that Conlin won't be charged for these specific accusations, but this could just be the tip of the iceberg.

But the guy's reputation is toast. Not that he had much of one around here to begin with, of course...

A newspaper article isn't a prosecution -- and apparently, PA law and the statute of limitations mean that Conlin can't be prosecuted anyway -- but the accusations are pretty detailed, confirmed up and down the line (i.e., parents backing up now-adult children's stories) and varied.

Since there will be no trial, I guess my court of public opinion vote is "guilty".

There is considerable detail in the story, and contemporaneous corroboration from parents and others who were told at the time but apparently didn't realize the scope of the activity and didn't do much about it other than chastize Conlin and avoid him. There is a reason for statutes of limitations, even in cases like this, but if Conlin has a defense for the court of public opinion, he better be quick.

So it would seem unless more recent things come to light that Conlin won't be charged for these specific accusations, but this could just be the tip of the iceberg.

If it's not the tip of the iceberg, you have to view Conlin in an infinitely more favorable light than Sandusky. Imagine a guy spending 40 years with impulses to do this sort of thing, impulses as strong as most people have toward adults of the opposite sex, and not acting on them.

Back in the mid-70s Conlin wasn't any sort of powerful figure who would have had an institution backing him up, he was just a beat writer. Not yet a columnist. No TV appearances I believe. But it was still totally hushed up.

Whole bunch of men who thought they got away with it... they didn't. I wonder how many victims have decided to track down their abusers.

Are we now presuming that every guy who gets accused of molestation is guilty, even if he never gets charged with anything?

Yes, let's not forget that there is a lot of lying and misremembering by accusers, too. (30, 40 years ago?) A whole lot of work in psychology has been done in this area. To begin with, your member isn't what you think it is . Let's not forget the McMartin scandal. I'm surprised at how many people here are so eager to sign up for the Insane Clown Lynch Party.

There is considerable detail in the story, and contemporaneous corroboration from parents and others who were told at the time but apparently didn't realize the scope of the activity and didn't do much about it other than chastize Conlin and avoid him. There is a reason for statutes of limitations, even in cases like this, but if Conlin has a defense for the court of public opinion, he better be quick.

The story by the father of the NJ prosecutor (one of the victims) is probably how most of it went... She came home and told the folks, the father (brother-in-law to Conlin, incidentally) went over to Conlin's ready to kick his ass. Conlin started crying and swore up-and-down he "just touched her leg". As the guy said - once Conlin started crying, "the fight went out of him" -- and he left it at "don't ever come around my home or my daughter again."

Before you go after the victims as false memory cases, read the ####### story. It's not one kid vaguely remembering Uncle Bill giving her a shoulder rub. And you wonder why people generally don't report things like this?

Imagine a guy spending 40 years with impulses to do this sort of thing, impulses as strong as most people have toward adults of the opposite sex, and not acting on them.

I'll imagine it when I have reason to believe this is the scenario. I think it is far more likely that this is only the start of the revelations. Others who also suffered in silence are likely to come forward.

EDIT: If Conlin did, in fact, quit "cold turkey," either because of his own conscience or the effect of the parents telling him he needed to stop, that would be noteworthy, because it is just so uncommon.

I'm surprised at how many people here are so eager to sign up for the Insane Clown Lynch Party.

Right. All of the kids, who are now adults and came forward on their own, and all of their parents who corroborate their stories, are suffering from some false memory phenomenon.

Before you go after the victims as false memory cases, read the ####### story. It's not one kid vaguely remembering Uncle Bill giving her a shoulder rub. And you wonder why people generally don't report things like this?

I read the ####### story. Why don't you wait for the ####### evidence and trial before you slap your mule on the ass and take off hellbent for leather.

Yes, let's not forget that there is a lot of lying and misremembering by accusers, too. (30, 40 years ago?) A whole lot of work in psychology has been done in this area. To begin with, your member isn't what you think it is .

Because there isn't going to be one. We can wait for Conlin's side of the story, though.

But assuming he denies everything- we're left to try and figure out why all these adults would concoct an elaborate web of stories depicting Conlin as a child molester 30 years ago. It's difficult to come up with a plausible scenario.

LOL. You're not left to do anything. In fact, who are you to be doing anything--to feel that you should decide the merits of claims from a story in the press? Are you serious? What you can do, if you really feel you need to say something about this at this time show a measured response. What a concept.

I didn't see anyone calling for lynching. What would these people have to gain by coming out now if he stories weren't true?

Taking the press at their word? When they have multiple corroborated accounts of many different incidents I do take the press at their word. This is an award winning investigative reporter doing her job by the book. If this is made up then she just destroyed her career. There is no rumors or innuendo, this is a story with hard facts.

Nobody is talking lynching but they can discredit the guy all they want. A public figure is subject to trial by public opinion.

Your attitude is disturbing to me in that it implies you feel he should not be criticized short of a trial. Why would someone without their own secrets feel that way?

Imagine a guy spending 40 years with impulses to do this sort of thing, impulses as strong as most people have toward adults of the opposite sex, and not acting on them.

Sure, he can have his effing impulses and jack off in the shower (alone) for 40 years.

This.

I mean - I have various impulses --- some illegal, like beating the crap out of certain co-workers, others perfectly legal but not fulfilled nearly as often as I'd like.

I expect no medals, positive comparisons to rapists/prostitution johns/etc because I've managed to suppress these impulses completely... not diddling children as often as you'd like isn't enough to get you in the door of a civilized, functioning society.

Imagine a guy spending 40 years with impulses to do this sort of thing, impulses as strong as most people have toward adults of the opposite sex, and not acting on them.

Sure, he can have his effing impulses and jack off in the shower (alone) for 40 years.

There's no evidence that Conlin stopped, just that he stopped abusing these particular kids. In the next couple weeks and months, we're probably going to hear about his latest escapades with the younglings.

It does seem reasonable to at least wait until Conlin responds before assuming too much. But it's tough to see what he would say that would make this look much better. I suppose he could explain some grand conspiracy and give reasons for it, but uhh, this looks pretty bad. Short of an extraordinary back story, it looks like someone may need a genital tasing. Or 12 million of them.

Taking the press at their word? When they have multiple corroborated accounts of many different incidents I do take the press at their word. This is an award winning investigative reporter doing her job by the book. If this is made up then she just destroyed her career. There is no rumors or innuendo, this is a story with hard facts.

Crap. You have exactly a one-sided tailored account that is not tested in any way. And people are making assumptions at a highly emotional level every which way, just like with the Paterno thing. You don't enough to be so damn sure of anything, I don't care if she got the Nobel Prize for reporting. That's so elementary it boggles the mind you don't know it.

Your attitude is disturbing to me in that it implies you feel he should not be criticized short of a trial. Why would someone without their own secrets feel that way?

Well, your attitude is disturbing, disgusting, and very scary, because it suggests you don't give a #### about anything except rank allegations.

Yes, let's not forget that there is a lot of lying and misremembering by accusers, too. (30, 40 years ago?) A whole lot of work in psychology has been done in this area. To begin with, your member isn't what you think it is . Let's not forget the McMartin scandal. I'm surprised at how many people here are so eager to sign up for the Insane Clown Lynch Party.

AFAIK none of the victims remember being flown around on broomsticks by Conlin, so it's not a great deal like the McMartin case.

Some of the witnesses were adults at the time, the father who confronted Conlin is one.

And Conlin snap resigns as these allegations are released, not a good sign either.

She said she told a female relative, who in turn confided that Conlin had abused her for years when she was a child. The relative, she said, told her that this led to a long estrangement that ended only after he wrote her a 10-page letter of apology.

If this letter still exists, it would seem to put a damper in any defense he might want to offer.

If it's not the tip of the iceberg, you have to view Conlin in an infinitely more favorable light than Sandusky. Imagine a guy spending 40 years with impulses to do this sort of thing, impulses as strong as most people have toward adults of the opposite sex, and not acting on them.

I think Society can always help these types control their impulses with a nice clean lynching.

Unless you're a juror, a cop, or a friend, you can safely assume that anyone accused of rape by several individuals did it. Four people, typical false reporting rate for rape is ~5% (which is typical for most crimes, except those related to insurance fraud). One report? Might be innocent - benefit of the doubt. Two? Well, there's one of you born every minute? But four - the did it, to something like 99.999% confidence - good enough for you, as a person with no relation to the case, to not worry about the last .001% chance.

Conlin has been called all sorts of names and had plenty of extraordinarily heaping helpings of derision ladled onto him for expressing opinions about baseball that most here find stupid/daft/inane/etc.

Now that we have allegations -- and can we at least agree in reading the story that absent some relatively far-ranging conspiracy, they sound like credible allegations -- he's a child molester; we should hold fire?

There are no more repercussions here than there were in the former case.

People expressed opinions that Conlin was a grumpy, has-been idiot for his thoughts on baseball... He still won the Spinks award and is "in" the HoF.

Now people are expressing opinions that he's a shitbag pederast who ought to have his nuts tased repeatedly... and he's still freely walking the streets.

The minute someone legitimately suggests a primate meetup and provides Conlin's address for it -- I see the harm (and imagine Jim 86's the thread), but we can call everyone an idiot for benign reasons like holding stupid opinions about aspects of baseball... but once that someone is accused of a fairly horrific crime, fire must be held?

78. Morty Causa Posted: December 20, 2011 at 05:38 PM (#4020588)
I read the ####### story. Why don't you wait for the ####### evidence and trial before you slap your mule on the ass and take off hellbent for leather.

Unless more recent charges emerge, there won't be any ######## evidence or trial. We will all reach some conclusion about whether we think he did what he's accused of or not. Some will find the story compelling. Some will think the story might be exaggerated. Some will be certain he has many other victims from over the years. However, regardless of our belief in his guilt or innocence, NONE of us will ever know what happened. He will wait for punishment or redemption in the next world because he isn't likely to get either in this one.

You will know more. Knowledge is freedom, and the predicate for doing the right thing. You don't have to shoot indiscriminately at everything that moves in the dark just because you're frightened. In fact, it's part of the compact that you don't.

One-sided tailored account? More like vivid first person testimony from victims of crimes.

You have a choice here, either you are saying that these adults fabricated this so their family could go through hell. Or that the reporter is misrepresenting the facts.

Maybe you think if you cried and said that you just had your hand on her leg we would let it go again.

I am sorry Morty, these people, and all victims, deserve to have their story heard. And Conlin can try and tell his story, explain away the facts. Maybe he has been more carefull for the last 30 odd years, but once his picture gets out there with these allegations somebody will put two and two together and he will be looking at a different kind of retirement. Something he deserves more than a house in Florida.

Last year, Blanchet, Kevin Healey, Karen Healey, and another woman from the neighborhood gave prosecutors videotaped testimony about the abuse they said they suffered at Conlin's hands years ago.

Presumably this testimony was taken under oath (since it was intended to help press charges). This isn't just a bunch of people chatting up a reporter; the 4 accusers in question did present testimony under oath.

Now, what was said in that testimony--and if it differs from what was told the the reporter--certainly is the next shoe to drop here.

I can't emphasize enough how massive a story this is going to be in Philly; Conlin is considered the dean of sportswriters in the city (undeserved, but there it is).

If I'm reading the article correctly, though, there won't be any criminal trial here because the statute of limitations is up. Now, I don't know what the civil statute of limitations might be here, and it's possible at some point these 4 might bring civil charges (or Conlin press civil charges against his 4 accusers), but it seems that--barring any future allegations from a more recent time--Conlin will not stand any kind of criminal trial.

Conlin has been called all sorts of names and had plenty of extraordinarily heaping helpings of derision ladled onto him for expressing opinions about baseball that most here find stupid/daft/inane/etc.

Now that we have allegations -- and can we at least agree in reading the story that absent some relatively far-ranging conspiracy, they sound like credible allegations -- he's a child molester; we should hold fire?

There shouldn't be that connection. If it were someone you liked, say, a Joe Pos, or whoever, and you were convinced the allegations were likely true, would you hold fire? I wouldn't.

There shouldn't be that connection. If it were someone you liked, say, a Joe Pos, or whoever, and you were convinced the allegations were likely true, would you hold fire? I wouldn't.

I'm not saying there should -- just that we all regularly express very tart, derisive, and strong opinions about people (with whom we agree and disagree) who do nothing more than offer up contrary opinions... No one jumps into a Chass/Plashke/etc post to say "hey, ease up fellas".

Though... to be honest... I have to say - if the unthinkable occurred and let's say Pos was accused of something like this, I have to admit -- I'd be hunting far and low for shreds of credible doubt. I like to think I'd eventually just face up to the mountain and damn him digitally as well.

Anyway - my point wasn't schadenfreude-based - it was more that we call people idiots and worse all the time for, in the grand scheme of things, pretty darn inconsequential reasons. Given that none of us are sitting on a jury (especially since none will be forthcoming), I just don't understand why it matters in this instance that people are frothing.

#107 - at least one reporter has already knocked on his door to get comment, which he declined / gave them his lawyer's number. unless it's a gated area, i don't know if he'll be able to stay at that address anymore; it's trivial to find out the exact address, number within, etc.

and the harm wouldn't come from any BTF people, but from someone non-sports affiliated who feels they're doing the world a favor. i think most BTF people were just hoping conlin would stop writing and retire, without this as a cause.

One-sided tailored account? More like vivid first person testimony from victims of crimes.

It's still one-sided. You believe everything that moves you, that calls to your psyche, is reality?

You have a choice here, either you are saying that these adults fabricated this so their family could go through hell. Or that the reporter is misrepresenting the facts.

No, that's isn't the only choice. I can wait. There's are reasons to do so. There are reasons, as good citizens and good fellows, we are urged by state and church to do so. Placing imprimatur on a process where nothing but allegation and a one-sided presentation is sufficient, is an totalitarian ideal--and I'm surprised at how people here so easily and quickly jump on that bandwagon.

“Bill Conlin has been a member in good standing of the BBWAA since 1966. The allegations have no bearing on his winning the 2011 J.G. Taylor Spink Award, which was in recognition of his notable career as a baseball writer.”

No, that's isn't the only choice. I can wait. There's are reasons to do so. There are reasons, as good citizens and good fellows, we are urged by state and church to do so. Placing imprimatur on a process where nothing but allegation and a one-sided presentation is sufficient, is an totalitarian ideal--and I'm surprised at how people here so easily and quickly jump on that bandwagon.

But that's the thing -- wait to do what? Type out a diatribe calling for Conlin's head?

I mean - I get where you're coming from on a larger, societal level - and like I said in 107, if anyone was even questionably suggesting organizing a posse... I see the harm and I -- and I think almost everyone else -- would stomp on the breaks.

Especially considering here that the statute of limitations (absent more recent accusations) means he's not going to be charged with anything, I guess I don't see the harm in the digital lambasting and tough guying that isn't going to really affect Conlin one way or another.

There really isn't going to be a process here... Some DA will probably eventually give a presser and say some variant of "statute of limitations"... maybe.

After all, this is supposed to be a happy occasion! Let's not bicker and argue about who deserves lynching and who doesn't.

Sorry to ruin your fun, boys, but some things are more serious--that's why they're dealt with in special ways under consideration and not by shooting from the hip. But, now that I've been a wet blanket, I think I'll leave at that. I've had my say. Please don't mind me: continue satiating your blood lust. I'll just repress my member elsewhere, to be recovered at leisure later.

“Bill Conlin has been a member in good standing of the BBWAA since 1966. The allegations have no bearing on his winning the 2011 J.G. Taylor Spink Award, which was in recognition of his notable career as a baseball writer.”

-Jack O’Connell, BBWAA secretary/treasurer
Dec. 20, 2011

So... the only way to not be in good standing with the BBWAA is to not pay your dues?

You will know more. Knowledge is freedom, and the predicate for doing the right thing.

Sure. But the most important piece of knowledge you will ever acquire, is that you will never acquire all knowledge. To refuse action based on the knowledge you do have, in favour of future knowledge you will probably never know, leads straight to the most dangerous human state of mind of all: apathy.

you know every now and the the press reports story and it turns out to be untrue... this does not look like one of those times.

Back in September 2011 it was reported that an airline navigation radio was discovered in a Millennium Hotel room rented by an Arab American the night before- 9/10/01. It was reported that the radio had been stolen.

Well he was arrested in connection with the 9/11 investigation, his court appointed lawyer told the police to ask the guy anything they wanted to.... He was held for quite awhile without bail.

It turned out that the radio belonged to an airline pilot staying at the hotel- he'd reported it missing- it turned out that a hotel security guard had taken it from the pilot's room after the Twin Towers attack and planted it in the room rented by a guy with a Muslim name, then "discovered" it, detained the guy and called the police...

Back in September 2011 it was reported that an airline navigation radio was discovered in a Millennium Hotel room rented by an Arab American the night before- 9/10/01. It was reported that the radio had been stolen...

Hadn't heard that one. I hope the dude sued the hotel down to its last individually wrapped soap bar.

I agree that we should withhold final judgment, but the FACTS known to date are pretty damning:

1. Multiple accusers;
2. One of whom is a family member of Conlin;
3. Contemporaneous reports to family members corroborating the accounts;
4. Well-reported media story -- had to be some serious vetting by the Inquirer;
5. No possible civil payoff for accusers.

Everyone who has compared this to prior negative comments towards Conlin has zero sense of perspective. This is not bad sportswriting -- this is damaging real-life children.

Well he was arrested in connection with the 9/11 investigation, his court appointed lawyer told the police to ask the guy anything they wanted to.... He was held for quite awhile without bail.

See, I hate details like this, because it makes all the other public defenders look bad. Most public defenders I've had any kinds of dealings with are extremely committed to their clients; know rules of court and evidence and criminal statutes like their own last names; and will fight cases like crazy because rolling over and playing dead is completely against their nature.

Unless you're a juror, a cop, or a friend, you can safely assume that anyone accused of rape by several individuals did it.

Or a defense lawyer.
Maybe he did it, maybe he didn't. What comes into evidence is different from what we know (or think we know), and if I was his lawyer I'd chalk everything in the news up to "bad facts," and get to work coming up with a defense strategy.

I am going to go home now. Tonight I'll come back and see which thread is more entertaining between this one and the Global Warming one.

Will the Snapper/Joey B/RayDiPerna alliance still be providing guffaws, or will have the focus shifted to the stylings of Morty Causa and his Batman-like rapid-response to all things pedophilia related? Soon we shall see.

Last year, "Conlin received 188 votes from the 434 ballots cast by BBWAA members with 10 or more consecutive years' service" according to the press release. (You don't need 75% - let alone a majority to get this award!)

I am going to go home now. Tonight I'll come back and see which thread is more entertaining between this one and the Global Warming one.

Will the Snapper/Joey B/RayDiPerna alliance still be providing guffaws, or will have the focus shifted to the stylings of Morty Causa and his Batman-like rapid-response to all things pedophilia related? Soon we shall see.

I started this thread from 143 and was working back. Shock, you've convinced me to stop right here. As Fearless Leader, this #### is beneath me. I need to write a national anthem, anyway.

What these high profile cases in recent weeks have driven home for me- for God's sake, if you think/know somebody is molesting kids, REPORT THEM. No, we don't want witchhunts, but we also don't need recidivist molesters ruining people's lives because "somebody else can take care of it," "I'm friends with his wife and I don't want her to suffer," "I was afraid that if my husband found out he'd kill him," etc.